I’ve been procrastinating for years on doing this. I hate going to the CA DMV. It’s usually a shit show time warp.

I’m about to turn 60 and they wouldn’t allow to renew by mail this time.

All in all it went fairly fast since it was a rainy morning out here. It kept the volume down.


I got the documents together and took them with me and it went pretty smoothly.

I was definitely the minority at the DMV today.

A few years back I did it at the DMV in Tracy. In and out In barely an hour. Ptown DMV I’ve seen the line wrap around the building and be an hour before you got inside. Had everything the utility bills in my name, original birth certificate. Original Soc sec card. Passport. I was ready to document myself.

Best part was those morons told me I couldn’t have both a real ID state ID Card AND a real ID driver license at the same time. Yeah well. They processed it and i got both. I carried both for years till I moved out of state .

i'm 77, did the 5year az enhanced license renewal yesterday.

about 15min, renewed enhanced + mc, with quicky eye test for $25.

Yay, Gold Star...

When they were still trying to catch up from the 2020 mess, I was told I finally had to renew my expired DL in person.
The line was long, but moved faster than I had ever seen. there was no line inside.
With paperwork in hand it was a quick look ,stamp, photo, pay, out the door.
It was probably never to be seen again show of State efficiency.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Yay, Gold Star...

In California it’s a gold bear with a white star on its rump. I kid you not.

All Real ID symbols:
https://www.keesingtechnologie...merican-ids/real-id/

Back when it first started I needed to get things settled since I was doing some int'l travel. Went to Napa DMV in the afternoon, two counters to process and I was out, 15-minutes. Real ID DL showed up in two weeks

Earlier this month went to the Vacaville location to change my DL so I can get Solano CCW, went online made an appt, was out within 10-minutes. New DL showed up last week.

I paid my DMV penance by growing up in SF and dealing with that DMV office, nothing can beat that nightmare.

It was the Ptown DMV ElToro.

I had a utility bill with my address. Under the address was lot #158.
She said what's this lot number? I said when they build a subdivision every house
has a lot number. Wouldn't accept it. Had to go home and find something else,
wait in line again.

Tried to get mine a few years back but PA wouldn't accept a laminated SS card. Told them that card was laminated in 1965. Still no joy. Too much of a hassle so I just said, "Screw it". I know who I am.

I got one years ago but really don't know why, when ever I fly, in country even, I just use my passport for I.D. I did once pull out what I thought was my S.C. drivers license to get through security at the airport and when I went to put it back in my wallet realized I had handed the TSA officer my concealed weapons permit... seems it worked fine too.

A couple of years ago my DL was up for renewal 3 months out. Went online to see what paperwork was needed and realized I did not have an official birth certificate. Sent away to Detroit to get one. After 2 1/2 months no certificate but was able to renew online. Hell with it, did that and to my surprise they sent me a Real ID.

My birth certificate did eventually show up from Detroit.

When I went to the DMV I had my original SS card from the 1960's . The one's that said " Not For Identification " . He told me I needed to get the new card that no longer had that on it . Unbelievable ...
I went home and got a different form of identification from the list and went to a different office and got my Real ID . I didn't want to deal with that idiot again .

I think passport cards or retired military ID cards work as well.

When I applied for my Real ID at my Virginia DMV, I found out that I could also get the indicator that I was a veteran. I asked what paperwork was needed and was told my DD-214. I showed the agent my United States Uniformed Services ID card showing that I was U.S. Navy Retired. Nope - not acceptable. Not worth it to go back with the DD-214.

When I got my son‘s ID card, before his license, I went ahead and got the Real one, planning to do that for my daughter. Just to save them the hassle.

I haven’t gotten one though, I have a passport ID card just in case. I need to get my son in for his full license later this month and I dread it. Our DMV is a damn mess.

quote:

Finally got my Real ID

Thank God!
Good to know the real PR64 is now secure.

fwiw: the va health id card is a legal substitute, if you don't have real id!!

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:
Tried to get mine a few years back but PA wouldn't accept a laminated SS card. Told them that card was laminated in 1965. Still no joy. Too much of a hassle so I just said, "Screw it". I know who I am.

Yea, lots of stories like this. One govt issued ID I presented as proof, they said it was no good, because my street address ending in "CT" was not properly spelled out. Stupid fucks.

Real ID gave me such a bullshit hassle I went to the Post Office and got a passport. I spent two hours at the KY DMV, 15 minutes at the PO. Now, if I ever care to do so, I can go back and get the real ID much more easily, but I also got the passport card, so I can fly without if I want to.


I'm 67 and was born in Louisiana. I have my original birth cert., bit it's fragile and raggedy. It is extremely cumbersome to get a copy from LA.


I'm glad that CA has improved the DV experience. One of the last things I did before getting transferred in '93 was renew my DL. It was unpleasant.